NIN should not make Nincompoops of Nigerians.

National Identity Number (NIN) is in the spotlight. It should not be based on

the typical Nigerian eye of the needle mentality.

It was the late Pini Jason, one of my favourite writers who wrote on the eye of the needle mentality of Nigerians.

In the story elegantly told many years ago, Pini Jason said that Americans talk big and do big things like big gas guzzling cars. The Japanese are small and do small efficient tools. Nigerians believe that if a thing is not difficult, it is not good.

One of the examples he gave was public toilets that are always locked in order to keep them clean. 

Another example, was Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) that has two gates but one is permanently locked 

The third example he gave was personal. He said a Federal Civil Servant finished a job for him in record time but refused to give it to him.

The Civil Servant's reason was that, if he should deliver to him in record time, people would suspect him of bribery, hence the delay.

Pini Jason is dead but the way we are going about the National Identity Number makes me wonder how Pini Jason, would react.

I went to Etiosa Local Government for my NIN. By the way, it was not my forst, nor was it my second.

Why we call government workers servants beats my imagination? The only servants that behave like Nigerian government workers are armed security men.

Arm them and soon, they are uncontollable. Back to Etiosa, the first time, I went there, it was clear in the demeanor of one of the staff, that their power was to be used to the maximum. The staff rebuffed me.

The second time, I went, I was told to come before 8am before, I could commence anything.

After the Covid - 19 lockdown, I went again and I was told they were not attending to people.

Two weeks ago, I went there and I was told to visit the local government office at Sangotedo, a distance of about six kilometers away or Oniru office also a distance of about, six kilometers.

The reason for my going there is quite interesting. I was to go to either office to get a code. When I think of these, I remember the words of Pini Jason and the eye of the needle mentality.

Perhaps, making Nincompoops of Nigerians is part of that mentality.